I'm in Canada! Hooray! A group of us came up for a workshop at the Fields Institute in Toronto. I'm currently partaking of the public access terminals at the UofT library (without displaying a current UofT library card).
We stopped at Niagra falls, and admired its stunning natural beauty... and restrained ourselves from spitting over the falls, though some of us threw some coins.
We tried to make trouble at the border, demanding that they take away our I-94 forms (which say that we are required by law to surrender them every time we leave the US), but despite our best efforts, they just took our $2.50 (to cross the bridge, or as I think of it, the "Get the hell out of the US tax") and sent us on our way.
We went to Tim Horton's. It was awesome. I almost kissed the floor, but settled for buying 20 Timbits.
Damn it feels good.
Now I must go and attempt to resolve my banking situation (we came up a day early to do such things as bank, have cars inspected, replace health cards, and, of course, go up the CN tower).
Watch for me on Electric Circus.
I now have a monitor at home and can surf the weeb from my bed. Now if I can just get all my stuff off the floor, I'll be moved in.
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 14:56:03 -0500 (EST)
From: Timothy Edmunds
To: hlth.mspltrs@gems9.gov.bc.ca, brbmspq@gems2.gov.bc.ca, clmb@gems6.gov.bc.ca
Subject: MSP bill (fwd)
Hello,
I am having great difficulty contacting MSP to resolve my account situation. I have received no reply to my two previous efforts to communicate with an MSP representative by e-mail (see below), and today, when I finally buckled and made the long-distance call (having had no success with the 1-800 numbers from my area), navigated my way through the automated system, got kicked out, phoned again, then pretended I had no touch-tone phone in a desperate attempt to be put through to a client service representative, I was informed that due to "technical difficulties," my call could not be taken.
Now that I have received a "Collection Notice," I am making this penultimate attempt to contact you at MSP to reiterate that I cancelled my coverage effective Sept. 1, 2002 AD. In the event that I receive no response to this e-mail either, I will purchase 1 (one) stamp and mail a copy of all my correspondences to the Honourable Colin Hansen, and trust in his good offices to handle the problem. Should that fail, I will throw my hands in the air and then wash my hands of the entire situation (after removing them from the air).
Thank you for your attention,
Timothy Edmunds
Account number #########
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 15:49:42 -0500 (EST)
From: Timothy Edmunds
To: brbmspq@gems2.gov.bc.ca
Subject: MSP bill (fwd)
Hello,
I have received a billing notice from MSP indicating that my account is overdue. However, the bill indicates that I am being billed for coverage from Nov 01/02 to Aug 31/03, in spite of the fact that I submitted the online form to cancel my coverage beginning Sept. 01/02. I would like to repeat (see below) my request for clarification of my account status.
My account number is #########.
I attempted to contact MSP through the number provided on the bill (1-888-788-4357), but the line was constantly "busy."
Timothy Edmunds
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2002 10:18:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: Timothy Edmunds
To: hlth.mspltrs@gems9.gov.bc.ca
Subject: MSP bill
Hello,
I moved to the United States in August, and I submitted the online coverage cancellation form indicating that I wished to discontinue coverage on Sept. 1, 2002. I have just been informed by a friend who picked up my mail at my old residence in Vancouver that I have received a bill from MSP charging for coverage from Oct. 1, 2002 to Aug. 31, 2003, and I would like to seek clarification of my status.
Thank you,
Timothy Edmunds
PS I do not currently have my MSP number, but I can provide further identifying information if necessary.